See what students say:

Academics

priorities straight” and they know that “school comes first.” As one student puts it, “There is a good balance of work and play here, and students are competitive, but to a healthy extent. The expectations for students here really push you to be involved, get at least two internships or research opportunities, and secure a good job by graduation.” Students praise the University of Richmond’s “unparalleled resources,” particularly the “high number of research, internship, and study abroad opportunities available.” As one business administration major gushes, at the University of Richmond “we combine the resources of a major research institution, the breadth of development of a liberal arts education, and amplifying effect of out of classroom opportunities (speakers, programs, student activities) to deliver an undergraduate experience that is both unique to every student and universally top notch.” One key resource available to all students that “the university is willing to pay $4,000 for all students to participate in an [otherwise unpaid] internship, research opportunity, or project.” This allows all students “an opportunity to have meaningful, career-oriented experiences.” Professors at the University of Richmond earn generally high marks, with one student admitting, “My professors showed me how to love to learn again.” Another echoes that “the entire University of Richmond staff treats everyone like an individual and not just another student circling through the system.” “The schoolwork is difficult, but manageable” and “Richmond is incredibly generous with not only need-based but merit-based aid, which is unusual for liberal arts colleges of a similar caliber.”

Student Body

“In general, the typical Richmond student cares not only about performing extremely well in class and extracurriculars, but knows it is important to look the part, as well.” Some students say that the University of Richmond is getting more diverse, branching out from “New England prepsters and Old South heirs/heiresses” to a more inclusive view that sees the university’s students as “diverse, from their backgrounds, races, religions, and ethnicity to their interests, beliefs, goals, and hobbies.” One student estimates that “fraternity brothers [and] sorority girls are a large group.” But there “is no cut throat competition to do better than your peers when it comes to grades—students are laid back in the sense that they are happy to see their peers do well.” Students stress the friendliness of their fellow Spiders, saying, “Everyone that I have met has been super helpful and kind—even as a first year.”

Campus Life

“The student body is academic but also enjoys having a social life,” and which tends to be centered on the Greek system. Though there are no dedicated fraternity or sorority houses on campus (lodges are “our equivalent of Greek houses” where Greek events are thrown), “the social scene is generally dominated by events thrown by Greek life; however, these events are open to all students no matter your affiliation.” Most students are involved in more than one extracurricular activity: “There’s also plenty to get involved with, so you would have a hard time finding a student who is not involved with some sport, artistic group, club, or organization.” As one student puts it, “Everyone is doing some sort of juggling act” but “students are also academically driven, and because classes are difficult and demanding, people will find themselves doing a lot of academic work throughout the week.” Weekends are a time to kick back and enjoy what Richmond has to offer in the way of “clubs downtown,” “the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, over 900 restaurants, Carytown (a hipster area with boutiques and unique restaurants), various festivals and events and athletic competitions.”

Students Say

Students at the University of Richmond triumphantly declare that the school's Career Services office is “incredibly helpful and thorough.” It's “constantly reaching out to students” and manages to “foster great relationships” with several companies. Undergrads flock there to explore various majors and careers (the Career Advisors are even certified in analyzing the Myers-Brigg Type Indicator assessment) and to take advantage of fantastic programs like Spider Shadowing, which provides individuals with the opportunity to spend time with an alum or employer to learn more about a particular career. As if that wasn't enough, students can turn to the office for résumé reviews and interview prep. Industry-specific preparedness programs like Q-camp, A&S NEXT, and the Jepson EDGE Institute ensure undergrads are able to translate their skills when it's time to job hunt.

Student Services

Sustainability

University of Richmond’s picturesque campus routinely ends up on various “most beautiful” lists and several film and television crews have used it to add “atmosphere” to their productions. It’s no wonder that the university is dedicated to preserving that beauty. A signatory of both the ACUPCC and the Talloires Declaration, the University of Richmond has initiated an ambitious nine-month process to hire to a new director of sustainability, a position crafted around visionary leadership and the integration of sustainability into academics and operations. At UR, students have access to meaningful sustainability engagement opportunities through the Sustainability Internship and Eco-Reps programs; four student-run sustainability related organizations; partnerships with the school’s Center for Civic Engagement; and rich living-learning and international programs, rigorous research placements, and course offerings with academic departments. The Career Development Center works closely with the coordinator of environmental studies to provide students with access to green internships and jobs. Through the River City Project, faculty receive fellowships to integrate sustainability into existing or new courses, while building a community of faculty engaged in sustainability pedagogy and curriculum development. The university has made several significant operational advancements in the areas of green building, energy conservation, and recycling. UR’s Weinstein Hall was Central Virginia’s first LEED certified building, and the university has committed to LEED Silver standards or better on all new construction. Currently, the campus is home to five LEED-certified buildings, with five more in the process of certification. In addition to retrofitting and upgrades, the university encourages awareness and personal responsibility through a series of behavior change programs, aided by a monitoring system displaying real-time energy usage installed in fourteen residence halls. In just one year, the university diverted 1.4 million pounds of waste from landfills through completely voluntary reuse and recycling efforts (which was key to UR achieving an impressive 39.5 percent waste-diversion rate).

Data provided by Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), STARS®, as of March, 2018.

Campus Security Report

The Jeanne Clery Act requires colleges and universities to disclose their security policies, keep a public crime log, publish an annual crime report and provide timely warnings to students and campus employees about a crime posing an immediate or ongoing threat to students and campus employees.

The Princeton Review publishes links directly to each school's Campus Security Reports where available. Applicants can also access all school-specific campus safety information using the Campus Safety and Security Data Analysis Cutting Tool provided by the Office of Postsecondary Education of the U.S. Department of Education: http://ope.ed.gov/security

Faculty and Coach Visits

Class Visits

Overnight Dorm Stays

Overnight Dorm Stays

Not Available

Limitations

The Admission Office does not arrange individual overnights.

Transportation

Types of Transportation Available to Campus

As part of its enhanced transportation system, the University of Richmond partnered with Groome Transportation to meet transit needs both on and off campus.
Travel options include:
•GRTC connector bus to transfer points at Willow Lawn, and Grove Avenue at North Thompson Street
•Charter service with vans and buses
•Campus safety shuttle
•UR Downtown shuttle
•Spider Shuttle to Short Pump Town Center and Regency Square Mall
•Partnerships with Zipcar and Zimride
To help manage the transportation initiative, the University now has a full-time, on-campus transportation coordinator from Groome Transportation.
If you are planning to travel to Richmond by air, the Richmond International Airport is located 25 minutes east of campus. There are rental car companies onsite at the airport as well as limousine and cab services to campus.
Amtrak trains and Greyhound buses also serve Richmond. The train station and bus station are located approximately 10 miles from the campus. Cabs are available at both the train station and bus station.
Acton Cab Company (804-360-7106), Groome Transportation (804-748-0779), Veterans Cab Association (804-276-8990), Yellow Cab Company (804-222-7300).

Driving Instructions to Campus

Visit: http://www.richmond.edu/visit/directions.html
From the West:
From I-64, take Exit 183/Glenside Drive south. Continue south on Glenside Drive to the fourth traffic light (Three Chopt Road). Turn left on Three Chopt. Continue straight for 8/10 mile. Turn right onto Boatwright Drive (apporximately .5 mile after the traffic signal). At the bottom of the hill, make a left onto Campus Drive. Make the first right into the main entrance of campus.
From US 60 (Midlothian Turnpike), turn left on State Route 147 (Huguenot Road) continue to Three Chopt Road, trun left on Three Chopt Road. Turn left on Towana Drive (approximately .5 mile after turning onto Three Chopt). Make a left into the main entrance of campus.
From the Southwest:
US 360 (Hull Street Road), take Rte. 288 North to the Powhite Parkway (toll road). Continue for nine miles to State Rte. 150 (Chippenham Pkwy.) North. After two miles, exit onto State Rte. 147 (Huguenot Road). Turn right on State Route 147. You will pass over the James River on the Huguenot bridge. Proceed to the second traffic light after the bridge (Three Chopt Road). Turn left on Three Chopt. Turn left on Towana Drive (approximately .5 mile after turning onto Three Chopt). Make a left into the main entrance of campus.
From the North:
From I-95 (Do not take I-295). Take exit 79 off I-95 to I-64 west, continue west on I-64. Take Exit 183-A/Glenside Drive south. Continue south on Glenside Drive to the fifth traffic light (Three Chopt Road). Turn left on Three Chopt, Continue straight for 8/10 mile. Turn right onto Boatwright Drive (approximately .5 mile after the traffic signal). At the bottom of the hill, make a left onto Campus Drive. Make the first right into the main entrance of campus.
From the East:
From I-64. West on I-64. As you approach the city of Richmond, I-64 West merges with I-95 North. Take I-95 North to exit 79 back onto I-64 West. Take Exit 183-A/Glenside Drive south. Continue south on Glenside Drvie to the fifth traffic light (Three Chopt Road). Turn left on Three Chopt. Continue straight for 8/10 mile. Turn right onto Boatwright Drive (approximately .5 mile after the traffic signal). At the bottom of the hill, make a left onto Campus Drive. Make the first right into the main entrance of campus.
From the South:
I-85 to I-95. Take Exit 79 off I-95 north to I-64 west, continue west on I-64. Take Exit 183-A/Glensied Drive south. Continue south on Glenside Drive to the fifth traffic light (Three Chopt Road). Turn left on Three Chopt. Continue straight for 8/10 mile. Turn right onto Boatwright Drive (approximately .5 mile after the traffic signal). At the bottom of the hill, make a left onto Campus Drive. Make the first right into the main entrance of campus.